"Product of Mexico"

So reported the sticker on the tomato sliced onto the satisfying sandwich I ate for lunch today.

Reading, immediately my mind asked, will there be fresh tomatoes transported across the border next December?

Let’s see, today four vined tomatoes cost me $3.19.

I’m setting up a Suspense File to compare this tomato shopping data with the situation I find next December.  

Will Stop & Shop offer vine-ripened tomatoes “product of Mexico”?  If not, where will they come from?  It won't matter to me, I'm thinking.  However while the state of the Stock Market concerns others, it's the little things I know will make a big difference also.

Cost to the customer of tomatoes and other goods and services?

Will consumers in all neighborhoods have good quality product?

I’m thinking, with USA’s new government coming into power on January 20, 2017, ordinary folk like me will ease into day-to-day significant change and emotional disruption.  No fear here.  I’ll make it.

Professional media, journalists, news bureaus will keep all of us praising, lamenting, or ignoring major government engendered changes affecting our economy, sense of security, civil rights, and politics or democracy.

I’ll follow up on my tomato query.  Next December will they come into New Jersey from Mexico?  If not, where?  Would any be homegrown?  

I’m thinking, many years ago (perhaps when some folk thought America was greater than it is today) out of season tomatoes were labeled ‘hothouse’.  Mother wanted no hothouse tomatoes.  Thus, neither do I.  We’ll see.

I’ll let you know.

Blue Skies Inspire

"Stopped grabbing life.

Simply hung on.

Didn’t let treacherous turns

Take me down

Thus, defeat unknown.

I’m thankful

I’ve survived

I’m thankful

My children thrived

Dreams not ignored.

I’m thankful

Their children

Joyfully live forward

Prepared for – working toward

Meeting each career goal.

I am thankful."

                              - - - M.L. Stith

Praying you’ve had a Happy Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving 2016 and I'm Not Happy

“Too many Thanksgivings have informed me. 

Current foolishness – painful to see,

A wannabe thespian,

Realized a dream,

Executive produced,

His one-man show,

Entertainment brash, shock,

Smirk, bloodless gore

Say you love me.

Say you love me.

I love you.

I know your pain.

I’ll take you back,

To times gone by,

When America ignored,

Freedoms denied.

We’ll thrive; you and I

Vote for me; never again cry

I’ll get us there,

Trust my family and me.

Thanksgiving Happy? 

No.

He holds the prize,

Our Nation.

While media reasons

We must be decent 

His show continues

Supporting cast staged.

Velvet curtain frames

Patrons front and center

Audience in the dark

It’s no longer a lark.

Exchange his prize.

Hand leading man the Oscar

And for Heaven’s sake

A resounding Good-Bye. “

                            - - - M. L. Stith

Reality

This morning began with a troublesome glitch.

My folic acid pills toppled into the sink.  If I chose to turn on the water and wash them away it would be a mere $14 into the drain (a prescription – milligram not offered over the counter).  Thus, money wasted; yet not more than my meager resources could handle.  But no, I’m a problem solver; turning my back from anything valuable, possibly salvageable, is not in my DNA.

Therefore, my morning was immediately improved.  My mind was detoured from troublesome facts flying around in my brain over which I have no control . . . president-elect issues, of course. 

Employing diligent patience I’ve saved most of the medication.  God is good to me.  More evidence He will stay by my side as my intellect emotionally maneuvers these troublesome times, from which my stubborn sense of right struggles to find solace.

Keep in mind God is also blessing America.

Gotta' Get It Together

The nation has a new president-elect.

I’m angry recalling his nasty, mean campaigning.

Forever it seems, he baited President Obama’s ire with unbelievable nonsense questioning his birth certificate.

News conveyed his insult of the father of a Medal of Honor patriot . . . and snarky commentary regarding the dead hero’s mother.   Their young military man sacrificed his life for America, and his never wavering response was to insult them and their culture.

He demeaned women, I think.  He met the negative reaction to reports of his invasive liberties toward women with cavalier disregard for the inappropriate behavior, even piled on more demeaning comment in support of his actions.

To me, he was a shockingly disrespectful, uncouth campaigner.

NOW, he’s the winner of the election process.  

These days I am challenged to forget all of the emotional terror he caused and respect him.  My common sense mentality rankles at this responsibility to do so.

They say he will change; latest interviews give a glimmer he may.  If he doesn’t ease up on a few dire promises, millions will be devastated.  I want to believe he will bring all of us, this world, this planet a better presidency than his campaign rhetoric unrelentingly assured.

Yes, the election is over yet his campaign strategy continues to feed my emotional unrest.  How much was a strategic threat?  

Today I continue to work through ANGRY.   I wait for the latest news born from deliberations led by a powerful celebrity who was marketed, for sure to the masses, as thoughtlessly divisive and self-serving.

It’s another America’s turn to serve this diverse nation. My spiritual undergirding assures God is in charge.   Thus it will be good – painful perhaps, but good.

Will You Vote?

2016’s Presidential Election Day is tomorrow, November 8^th,     6 am – 8 pm in my neighborhood.

History may be made - and, it may not.  

My candidate’s opponent is not receiving my vote for several reasons.

For sure, I wouldn’t want a child of mine, any child, even an adult to emulate what I've learned about him.  A good role model – not!  I couldn’t vote for him.

I’m one of many millions who don’t escape paying income taxes.  It saddens me to think, if elected, he could decide how to spend what we pay to help run the government.  I couldn’t vote for him.

And, it seems a number of his largest support groups have ingrained biased views that have persisted throughout my lifetime.  They see me and others coming, and decide who we are, who we can be and what we should be.  It’s a painfully offensive reality.  I surely couldn’t vote for him.

  

I will vote for her.   I’m impressed with her commitment, stamina and record of service over the years on behalf of others.

God Bless America.

Keep on Praying

Kids today are like no other.  Our children may not say funny things as much as they give amazing insight.

It was in a Bible School class, I was trying to get across the idea, the power of praying in the face of danger (Daniel in the lions den).  From their comments, it seemed the boys were determined not to buy into the concept.  Finally, a 10 year old shared for all to hear,  “my grandmother prays for me.”

Not giving up, I asked them to focus on times they were in trouble.  After a brief moment of quiet, an 11-year-old girl told how a kid met her in the school restroom to beat her up.  I suggested, “and you prayed for God to look out for you?”

 Hesitating, thoughtfully she said, “no, I didn’t pray; my girlfriend back in our classroom was praying for me.”

Learnings:  we must keep praying for others.  They are counting on it more than we imagine.

Election Campaign Season 2016

Belief in America

Truthfully,

Not shaken

Before.

These days - yes

Too many words

Not nice nor wise

Puzzle agonize.

How could he?

How could they?

I’m scared,

Don’t dare have my say.

No news,

The proverbial

The for sure

Good news.

November 8

The crucial date

I’m thinking

Wise people vote.

I pray.

                    ---M. L. Stith